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Before Asian representation in American blockbuster entertainment like “ Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings ” and “ Crazy Rich Asians ,” Gene Luen Yang’s 2006 YA graphic novel American Born Chinese was one of the very few works of media that existed in a once barren media landscape. The book discussed the complexities of growing up Asian in America, covering self-acceptance, assimilation, racial identity, and breaking down racial stereotypes, all while riffing on Wu Cheng'en’s “ Journey to the West .” The Disney+ television adaptation of “American Born Chinese” attempts the same feats as Yang’s novel but doesn’t quite have the same impact. Developed by “Bob’s Burgers'' writer/producer Kelvin Yu , the series centers on Jin Wang (Ben Wang), a second-gen Chinese American teenager in suburban California who wants to lead an ‘American’ life. At home, the marriage between his mom Christine (Yeo Yann Yann), and dad Simon ( Chin Han ), hangs by a thread. At his predominan...

Tony, Emmy, AFI and Golden Globe Award-winner   Jeffrey Wright , one of the most prolific actors of our time, will take part in a conversation about his illustrious career moderated by RogerEbert.com publisher Chaz Ebert at the Cannes Film Festival's American Pavilion on Thursday, May 25th, at 12:30pm. The Conversation is an open event in the Roger Ebert Conference Center of the American Pavilion, but you must have credentials to enter the International Village.  The "In Conversation: Jeffrey Wright" event will give festivalgoers the opportunity to hear Wright speak at length about his acclaimed credits, which include HBO's "Westworld," the James Bond and Batman franchises, both the Broadway and film versions of Tony Kushner's "Angels in America" and Wes Anderson's " The French Dispatch " and "Asteroid City," the latter of which is premiering this year at Cannes.  Wright broke onto the big screen in 1996 with a harr...

" The French Dispatch ," which showed at Cannes in 2021, was one of Wes Anderson's most divisive movies. I fell into the camp that thought it was way too busy, and that all its competing narrative conceits drained it of energy, especially in the second and third chapters. Viewed from that perspective, Anderson's latest film, "Asteroid City," which premiered in competition today, is almost movingly low-key. The trailer made "Asteroid City" look like Anderson's version of an atomic-age alien-invasion picture, but that's not quite right. In a black-and-white intro, a host (Bryan Cranston) informs viewers that what they will be watching is a rehearsal for a  play  called "Asteroid City," set in a fictional American town. This allows Anderson to pay homage not just to "The War of the Worlds," "Invaders From Mars," and their ilk, but to another, almost opposite mode of storyt...

The cultural reckoning of #MeToo has made everyone more aware of the common horror of sexual assault (more than 460,000 annually in America, according to the Department of Justice) and, in turn, the damage of a false accusation. But it has always been about taking each instance on a case-by-case basis, even when the media takes a traumatic story to the tribunal of public opinion.   Nancy Schwartzman ’s harrowing documentary “Victim/Suspect” wades into tricky waters to ultimately make a vital point. By focusing on young victims who were then arrested for making false accusations, the film is an urgent reminder of the nuance with which each sexual assault case must be handled, starting with the authorities. As the eye-opening journalism within this movie proves, young women like Emma, Nikki, and Diyanie were intimidated by police during overlong depositions and pushed into recanting their statements. Their hope of finding safety and justice ended with them in handcuffs....

Three young filmmakers from Chicago are traveling to France this week to attend the Cannes Film Festival. As they set off on the dream trip, Isis Gullette, Unique Moore and Christal Westmoreland are reflecting on how DePaul University and the Chicago Housing Authority launched their filmmaking dreams. The three met during the “Become a Filmmaker” program, a six-week summer intensive in DePaul University’s School of Cinematic Arts, tailored for CHA residents . They have each returned, summer after summer, and were chosen for the trip for their talent and commitment to the craft. “At the core, the programs are designed to provide youth with new economic pathways and the tools to share their voices with the world,” said Liliane Calfee, a faculty member at DePaul and director of the program. She and others from the university will serve as chaperones and guides.  Chaz Ebert , president and CEO of Ebert Digital and the film criticism website RogerEbert.com, lived in CHA housing as a...

After decades of Joe Dante and Chris Columbus ’ iconic creations being dead in the sunlight, writer/developer Tze Chun pours fresh water with the animated family prequel, “Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai,” a delightful return to form for the franchise and new fantastical ground for exploration. Set in 1920, decades before the events of the original, Gizmo (A. J. LoCascio, picking up the reins from Howie Mandel ) and his fellow Mogwai live in peace and harmony in their Jade Garden valley. When a hawk attacks his village, Gizmo sacrifices himself to protect his community, leaving him on a bog floating down a river and through China. He’s found by a traveling circus ringleader who snatches him up and forces him to act. Enter young Sam Wing ( Izaac Wang ), an ordinary kid who loves to make tea at his family’s shop with his cautious parents, Fong ( Ming-Na Wen ) and Hon (B. D. Wong). However, Sam’s adventure-seeking grandfather ( James Hong ) implores him to leave his comfort zone....